Prince Charles is the new king of England, following his mother, Queen Elizabeth II’s, death at 96. The 73-year-old is the oldest person to become an English monarch and has chosen the title King Charles III. Of the two previous Charles in the British monarchy, the first was executed due to treason and the second was known for his liaisons with several women.

The new king of England has had his shares of scandals, which many believed might have hurt his chances at accession. The New Yorker reported that contrary to the 16-month period Queen Elizabeth had before her anointment in 1953, King Charles III will go to Westminster Abbey no later than three months after his mother’s death. This is to prevent the Republicans from creating anti-royalty statements in between, as per The New Yorker. 

Affair with Camilla 

Prince Charles first met Camilla Shand in 1970 at a polo match at Great Windsor Park. However, they didn’t end up with each other, as Charles married Princess Diana and Camilla ended up with Andrew Parker Bowles. 

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Charles and Camilla started an affair in 1986, as both were unhappy in their respective marriages. In 1993, details of a 1989 phone call between Charles and Camilla became public and the nature of sexual banter in their conversation eventually led to their respective marriages ending in divorce. 

Princess Diana, Charles’ ex-wife died tragically in 1997 and in 1999, Charles was first pictured together with Camilla. The two married in 2005, and in 2022, Camilla was named the future Queen Consort by Elizabeth. 

An aide with a shady knighthood deal

Michael Fawcett, a trusted aide of Prince Charles, was accused of offering a Saudi tycoon British citizenship and a knighthood after a donation was made to the prince’s charity foundation. This blew back on the Royal Family member. 

Cash deals in briefcases 

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, a Qatari politician, paid €3 million in cash to the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund, as per The Sunday Times. 

As per the newspaper, Charles in a 2015 meeting, was given a briefcase full of cash in the amount of €1 million. 

Cash for honours scandal 

Conservative Party donor Lord Brownlow was made a Commander of the Victorian Order (CVO), by Prince Charles, in 2018. This was after the controversial party member’s company, Havisham investment group, bailed out a failed eco project that Charles’ charity had taken on. 

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Normally, this title is given for services to the Royal Family. 

Money from Osama Bin Laden’s family 

Prince Charles accepted around £1 million, in 2013, from the two half brothers of Osama Bin Laden, as per Sunday Times reports. His charity, Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund (PWCF) got the donation. 

Many believe that Charles ought to have chosen any other title to get some distance from his scandals, but he followed in his mother’s footsteps, making his birth name the one he uses during the monarchy.